I just saw an outstanding documentary on Turner Classic Network that was produced by the master himself. Clint Eaastwood titled " Johnny Mercer. This Dreams On Me". I doubt any of youwho love music have any idea how this genius contibuted so many of the classic standards we sing today. I was lucky enough to have met him in Hollyood in 1945 and realized I was in the prescence of genious. At the time my quintet was in the process of having a chance of signing with this great label(Capitol Records0 but we didn't make the cut because we were all college kids who didn't have any idea about commitment. After looking back maybe the good Lord weas looking after me as the talent that came during my days was killer, Oscar played more with his ledt hand than I could with 4, Billy jad more innovation in his left ear-lobe than I did in me whole bod, etc., etc/WW

Being from Austin, TX and having an employee who use to cook for John Cash and sometimes Merle Haggard, I've been very fortunate to have met ol' Clint. Talk about a cool dude. I was a bellman at the Omni Hotel and he was staying there filming A Perfect World. He came down to the bellstand and my buddy who had a band at the time was playing at a local s-hole on 6th Street. He told Clint about it and didn't expect him to show but....HE DID! He sat down in the back of the bar, watched for 20-30 minutes and took off. I'm telling you that Clint Eastwood is right up there with classic Hollywood like Paul Newman and Robert Redford. That's my kinda rat pack.